Real Joy Wedding: Kelsey & Carter

First off, congrats! What’s the best thing about being a newlywed?

It’s so exciting to feel like we have something brand new ahead of us! We lived together awhile before the wedding and established a great foundation, but being married opens up so many new ways to explore life together. We feel like we have something new to work toward, a new adventure, and that’s such a fun feeling!

What is the most memorable moment from the wedding?

Kelsey: Our first look! We were both against it for so long before being talked into doing it. I don’t think either of us realized how much of an emotional moment it would be. Afterward, when all nerves were shaken and we got to spend time together before walking down the aisle, we thought the ceremony would be a breeze. We were wrong, we both still cried during the exchange of our vows!

Carter: I would say the most memorable part of my night was watching my beautiful bride walk down the aisle. Even though I had seen her during our first look, it seemed as she walked down the aisle with her dad, I saw something completely different as before. I watched the love of my life approaching me to vow her commitment to God and myself. It was an experience unlike any other.

With the wedding over and some time to reflect on the celebration, would you have done anything differently—splurge on a pricier dress, nix the favors, go for that extra passed appetizer?

I tried to soak in as much as possible during our whole wedding weekend. I tried so hard to be in the moment from the time I woke up to the very last dance at the end of the night. I had heard multiple stories of people not remembering a majority of their wedding and I didn’t want that to be me! We had spent so much time planning this special day with every little detail and I wanted to remember it all. We still felt like we missed so much of it! Afterward, we realized we didn’t even know who was sitting in the front row during the ceremony, let alone what the flowers and centerpieces looked like! The only thing we would change about our day is slowing it down even more, if that would even be possible.

The million dollar question: Did you have any time to enjoy the food or the cake?

Yes! We heard the same things from a lot of our friends who have already been married. We made sure this was a priority! We actually decided to make a weekend out of our wedding because so many people were traveling to Sedona for us. We got the chance to see the majority of our guests the night before at an arranged cocktail hour and had brunch on Sunday to say goodbye before people departed. It was perfect! We felt like we got to relax, eat dinner, spend time with our wedding party and then, once we were done eating, we did a quick lap around tables to thank everyone for coming.

What tips do you have for other Joy couples still in the midst of wedding planning?

Don’t stress, don’t let little details consume you, and “be present”. My dad is constantly telling us to be present in the moment and we took this to heart that day. Throughout the night Carter and I would pause, look at each other and make sure we were soaking it all in. Looking around at the site of our family, friends, and all the hard work we put into making this day possible was truly amazing. The wedding goes so much faster than you could ever imagine. The best advice we were given was to not let things stress us out, pray for the day to be what we hoped for but to be okay when things didn’t go as planned. God always has a plan. It might not be exactly what we want, but it always turns out perfect in it’s own way.

How did you stay sane during wedding planning?

Family, friends, and our amazing planner! We couldn’t have done it without Sandy at In Awe Weddings & Events.

How did you hear about Joy?

An internet search for a unique site that didn’t look like the typical wedding website. That’s when I stumbled upon Joy!

What was your favorite part about using Joy for the wedding?

I had so many compliments on the simplistic view of our site and that it only had the information needed to be informed about our day. Personally, I loved that we got to feature so many of our engagement photos!

At Joy we believe that although a wedding lasts one day, joy lasts forever. What does that mean to you and your husband?

Joy is something Carter and I strive for each day. Most people say, “I just want to be happy in my relationship,” but happiness is just a choice, a feeling that comes and goes. To feel Joy is to feel love, affection, and the oneness that God intended for us to create in a marriage, as a couple. At the end of the day, we were married! We got to celebrate the start of our new life and marriage with everyone we love and that is priceless.